Tummy Tuck: Am I the right age?
Tummy tucks are most commonly performed for several reasons.
- “I used to have this pot in my lap when I would sit but no more!”
Patients of all ages who experience a marked weight loss with residual excess skin are often seen for abdominoplasties. These patients come in at ages starting in the early 20’s and up. Generally, the younger the patient is when they lose weight, the greater the probability that their skin will recover. As we go through life, our skin has less elasticity and is more prone to remain stretched out after weight loss. Many patients who lose weight in their 40’s and 50’s see a thinner more fit body in the mirror but hanging skin.
Many women come in after they are done have their children. Pregnancy takes a toll on the skin and causes it to become stretched out with those unsightly stretch marks. The stretched out muscles cannot recover to a flat abdomen no matter how many crunches or sit-ups are done. Some women can have multiple pregnancies and come away with a flat abdomen without a single stretch mark. It is not because they knew how to “take care” of themselves. It is not because they covered their abdomen with a special lotion or worked out after the delivery of their children. It is genetics and, therefore, luck. Don’t feel guilty about it. There is nothing that could have been done to prevent it but it can be corrected with an operation!
Many patients come in during their 40’s and 50’s when they see a gradual shift in their weight from their thighs and hips to their abdomens. You do not necessarily have to gain weight to see your waist size increase year after year. Some patients even come in for this operation in their 70’s.
Should I lose weight first? >>